# What age does CCB stop, and which payment is the last

Source: https://canadapaymentdates.com/child-benefit/ccb-stop-age
Publisher: Canada Payment Dates (canadapaymentdates.com), independent editorial site
Topic: Canada Child Benefit
Last updated: 2026-10-22

> At what age does CCB stop? The Canada Child Benefit, still often called the child tax benefit, stops when a child turns 18. The CRA pays the month of the 18th birthday, at the 6-to-17 rate, and nothing after that. The earlier change comes at 6: the child moves to the lower rate starting the month after the 6th birthday, a drop of up to about $106 a month.

## Key facts

- Age CCB stops: 18
- Last payment: The month of the 18th birthday
- Rate change: Month after the 6th birthday
- Under 6 maximum (2026-27): $679.75 a month
- 6 to 17 maximum (2026-27): $573.58 a month

## Does CCB stop at 18?

Yes. The CCB is only for children under 18, so entitlement ends at the 18th birthday. The CRA's own example: for a child turning 18 in December 2026, the last payment is the December 2026 payment, at the 6-to-17 rate. There is no extension for a child still in high school or living at home.

Because the payment for the birthday month is still made, the last deposit can arrive before or after the actual birthday, depending on the day. A child born on December 28 still produces a December payment, even though that deposit lands on December 11.

| 18th birthday in | Last CCB deposit | Payments after that |
| --- | --- | --- |
| September 2026 | September 18, 2026 | None |
| October 2026 | October 20, 2026 | None |
| November 2026 | November 20, 2026 | None |
| December 2026 | December 11, 2026 | None |
| Any month of 2027 | Date not yet announced | 2027 CCB dates usually appear late in 2026 |

Last CCB payment for children turning 18 in late 2026 (CRA 2026 schedule)

The full 2026 calendar is on our [CCB payment dates](https://canadapaymentdates.com/child-benefit/ccb-payment-dates) page, which will add 2027 dates once the CRA publishes them. As of October 22, 2026, the CRA has not posted the 2027 CCB payment dates or the amounts that will apply from July 2027; [CCB increase](https://canadapaymentdates.com/child-benefit/ccb-increase) tracks what is known so far.

## CCB by age: what changes at 6 and at 18

Two birthdays matter. At 6, the child moves from the under-6 rate ($8,157 a year for July 2026 to June 2027) to the 6-to-17 rate ($6,883). The CRA pays the under-6 rate for the birthday month and switches the following month. For a child turning 6 in March 2027, March is paid at the higher rate and April at the lower one.

The difference is $1,274 a year, or about $106.17 a month. Because the income reduction is applied to the whole family and does not depend on age, most families feel close to the full $106 drop, whatever their income, unless their CCB was already near zero.

### Worked example: a family with children aged 5 and 17

Family net income is $60,000, so the two-child reduction is 13.5% of $21,763, or $2,938.01 a year. With both children at their current rates the family receives $12,101.99 a year, about $1,008.50 a month. After the younger child turns 6, it becomes about $902.33 a month. After the older child turns 18, the family has one child aged 6 to 17, the reduction falls to 7% of $21,763 ($1,523.41), and the payment becomes about $446.63 a month.

## CCB payments stop at what age for special situations

- **Child with a disability:** the [Child Disability Benefit](https://canadapaymentdates.com/child-benefit/child-disability-benefit) is also for children under 18 and ends with the last CCB payment.
- **Shared custody:** both parents' half payments end in the same month.
- **Child moves out before 18:** payments stop the month after the child is no longer in your care, so report the move rather than waiting for the birthday.
- **You move abroad:** residency, not age, ends the benefit early; see [CCB while outside Canada](https://canadapaymentdates.com/child-benefit/ccb-outside-canada).
- **Provincial child benefits paid with the CCB,** such as the Ontario Child Benefit, also stop once the child reaches 18.
- **Quebec Family Allowance:** Retraite Québec's Family Allowance, paid separately from the CCB, is also for dependent children under 18, so it ends at 18 as well; its payment dates are on [Family Allowance in Quebec](https://canadapaymentdates.com/provincial-benefits/family-allowance-quebec).

## Can you get CCB after 18

No. There is no CCB for an 18-year-old, even in full-time school. Some other payments continue or begin at that point, and it is worth checking each one.

| Benefit | What happens at 18 | Who applies |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit | Child amount ($234 in 2026-27) continues until 19 | Parent, through the tax return |
| CGEB in the young adult's own name | Possible from 19 if the young adult files a return | Young adult |
| CPP children's benefit | Can continue from 18 to 25 in full-time school, if a parent contributor is disabled or deceased | Young adult |
| Canada Disability Benefit | Adults with an approved disability tax credit can apply from 18 | Young adult |

Benefits to check when a child turns 18

The CPP children's benefit is $307.81 a month in 2026 and is covered on our [CPP survivor benefit](https://canadapaymentdates.com/cpp/cpp-survivor-benefit) page. The adult [Canada Disability Benefit](https://canadapaymentdates.com/disability-benefits) pays up to $204.20 a month for July 2026 to June 2027, depending on income.

## Do you need to tell the CRA when your child turns 18

Usually not. The CRA has each child's date of birth from your application and ends the payments on schedule. What you do need to report, right away, are changes that end payments earlier: the child leaving your home, a change in custody, or a move outside Canada.

If you keep receiving money for a child who no longer lives with you, the CRA will later ask for it back as an overpayment. If you think a final payment was missed, for example the December deposit for a December birthday, check your notice of redetermination in My Account first. Missed months can be recalculated, as explained in [can you get CCB retroactively](https://canadapaymentdates.com/child-benefit/ccb-retroactive).

The end of the CCB does not change how past payments are taxed: they were never taxable, as covered in [is CCB taxable](https://canadapaymentdates.com/child-benefit/is-ccb-taxable). For the program overview, see the [Canada Child Benefit guide](https://canadapaymentdates.com/child-benefit).

## Common questions

### Do you get CCB the month your child turns 18?

Yes. The CRA pays the CCB for the month of the 18th birthday, at the 6-to-17 rate. The following month's payment is not made.

### When does CCB go down at age 6?

The month after the 6th birthday. The birthday month is still paid at the under-6 rate.

### How much less is CCB after age 6?

Up to $1,274 a year, about $106.17 a month, for July 2026 to June 2027. Most families see nearly that full amount because the income reduction does not depend on age.

### Does CCB continue if my 18-year-old is still in high school?

No. School attendance does not extend the CCB. The child may still count for the parent's Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit until 19.

### What happens to CCB if my child dies before 18?

Tell the CRA as soon as possible. Under a recent change, an eligible parent can keep receiving CCB for up to 6 more months, but not past the date the child would have turned 18.

### Is the child tax benefit the same as the CCB, and when does it stop?

Yes. "Child tax benefit" is the old name: the Canada Child Benefit replaced the Canada Child Tax Benefit in July 2016, and many people still use the old term. It stops the same way, with the last payment for the month the child turns 18.

## Sources

- [Canada child benefit: how we calculate your CCB](https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/child-family-benefits/canada-child-benefit-overview/canada-child-benefit-we-calculate-your-ccb.html)
- [T4114 Canada Child Benefit and related programs](https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/forms-publications/publications/t4114/canada-child-benefit.html)
- [CCB payment dates](https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/child-family-benefits/canada-child-benefit/payment-dates.html)
- [Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit: how much you can get](https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/child-family-benefits/canada-groceries-essentials-benefit/how-much.html)
- [CPP monthly payment amounts](https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/publicpensions/cpp/payment-amounts.html)